My invention relates generally to automatic fish catching, hooking and retrieval devices. More particularly, my invention relates to automatic hooking devices that humanely catch fish.
In the prior art a variety of fish catching devices are well known. Especially in the American south, rotary fish catching devices known as "Yo-Yo's" have been used for several years. Yo-Yo's generally comprise a metallic, casing in which a spring activated spool contains line to be unwound. The line may terminate in a baited hook, and when a fish strikes, the spring within the Yo-Yo tightens the line to hook the fish. Conventional round, metallic fishing Yo-Yo's have a number of disadvantages well known to fishermen.
Prior art rotary Yo-Yo's can rust and deform. They are difficult to employ because of their internal spring, and once subjected to water, dirt and the elements, Yo-Yo's tend to corrode and jam over time. On the other hand, their metallic construction and relatively precise tolerances means that the cost of production is relatively high. While I am personally familiar with conventional Yo-Yo's, I feel that a much better approach needs to be developed.
Prior art Yo-Yo's tend to drag the hooked fish out of the water, resulting in a slow death. Many states have outlawed conventional Yo-Yo's because of this reason. To be humane and effective, a fish hooking and retrieval device must allow the captured fish to remain in the water until harvested.
Others have suggested fish retrieving and catching devices previously. U.S. Pat. No. 4,121,367, issued to Lopez on Oct. 24, 1978 discloses art that is relevant to my invention. This fishing rod encloses a coaxially centered elastic line that, when triggered, can hook a fish. However, numerous differences exist, most importantly in the matter or mode in which the elastic trigger is deployed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,924,617, issued May 15, 1990 to Parent discloses a hook setting device having a frame in which a lever is sprung for actuation. A line extends from a ball locked within a trigger seat, and when a fish bites the device triggers.
Adams U.S. Pat. No. 3,605,315 issued Sep. 20, 1971 discloses a relatively complex metallic line tensioner that is triggered when the fish initially bites. Some variations of this theme involve a holder wherein a conventional fishing rod is simply held in a mechanical device. An example of this is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,213,264 issued Jul. 22, 1980.
Other examples of fish catching devices are seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,471,553, 4,944,106, and 3,766,680.
However, no prior art retrieval device of which I am aware discloses a self contained, virtually fool-proof elasticized trigger system that can be readily employed from either a boat, tree or similar support or stationary object, or embodied within a flotation device. More particularly, known prior art devices do not precisely control or center the spring properly, so as to continually present a coaxial pathway when the spring retracts. Stated another way, I have cured the known problems in the prior art by combining an elastic spring centered within a coaxial tube that protects the mechanism, while accomplishing fastening through unique couplings that function as guides to prevent jamming of the apparatus. Moreover, I have proposed a fish hooking mechanism that allows the fish to remain in the water.